


Mark Me Unbroken, Claim Me Flawless

by t_dragon



Category: B.A.P, DBSK | Tohoshinki | TVfXQ | TVXQ, EXID (Band), EXO (Band), Infinite (Band), Red Velvet (K-pop Band), SHINee, Super Junior, VIXX, 소녀시대 | Girls' Generation | SNSD
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Attempt at Humor, Claiming Bites, Consensual Underage Sex, F/F, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Marking, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Minor Character Death, Mpreg, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega Verse, Shameless Smut, Shapeshifting, Soul Bond
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-14
Updated: 2019-07-07
Packaged: 2020-03-26 12:51:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19006162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/t_dragon/pseuds/t_dragon
Summary: Baekhyun finds perfection in his scarred soulmate and in the chaotic rollercoaster that is their shared life





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I am indeed aware of the amount of characters tagged. There will be more, when I figure a few more things out. Yes, the exhaustion of putting this all together has been very present. Ugh, the amount of tagging having gone into this, y'all don't even know about all of the stuff behind the scenes, fuck me......... ;;

 “Look, Jonginne,” Baekhyun softly whispered, grip on his son secure as he pointed at something on the other side of the large window. “That’s your little brother, over there!”

 But Jongin was not in the least impressed by the newborn baby, instead pressing his face against Baekhyun’s shoulder and yanking on his shirt.

 “Dada!” Jongin whined, recently having started to babble quite a lot.

 “Yes, we’ll see him soon, he’s resting right now,” Baekhyun comforted his son, hiking him up a bit higher on his hip. “He’s very tired right now, Jonginnie. You don’t want to see your baby brother?”

 Apparently completely uninterested, Jongin shook his head, dragging his face against Baekhyun with another whine and making Baekhyun chuckle.

 “Okay, okay, I hear you,” Baekhyun said, casting one last look at his youngest, sleeping so peacefully behind the glass. He could faintly pick up on the scent of the baby, still so strong on his son’s skin and already imprinted into Baekhyun’s mind, even though they were in different rooms.

 Slowly turning away, Baekhyun carried his oldest over to the hospital room where his husband was resting, looking forwards to the next time he would be able to hold his youngest again.

 

 Knocking on the slightly open door, Baekhyun peeked inside of the room.

 Lying curled up on his side in the hospital bed, looking a bit pale and slightly worse for wear, but still radiant, was Chanyeol. His eyes opened at the sound of the knocking, a tired smile appearing on his lips at the sight of his husband.

 “We went and took a look, but Jongin was as far from interested as you can get,” Baekhyun said, making Chanyeol snort. “You feel okay enough?”

 “Yeah, I’m fine,” Chanyeol softly answered, voice a bit hoarse, as he straightened himself out a bit more, reaching out with a hand towards Baekhyun.

 Opening the door, Baekhyun stepped inside, and as soon as Jongin laid his eyes on Chanyeol, he began to wriggle in Baekhyun’s hold, whines and whimpers falling from his lips.

 “Calm down, Jongin, we’re getting there,” Baekhyun sternly said, his son settling down a little, but it was far from what Baekhyun had wished for.

 “Has my baby missed me?” Chanyeol cooed, holding out both hands for Jongin, who reached out with his own chubby arms, fingers flexing as he mimicked grabbing.

 “I have,” Baekhyun said as he deposited his son into Chanyeol’s embrace, making Chanyeol snort for the second time.

 “I’m sorry, let me rephrase, have my _babies_ missed me?” Chanyeol said, most surely going for sarcastic, missing the mark completely as Jongin cuddled up against him and softened his smile.

 Fetching the chair standing inside of the room and putting it beside the bed, Baekhyun sat down in it, reaching out to caress Jongin’s hair.

 “They have, a lot even,” Baekhyun confirmed, soft smile mirroring Chanyeol’s.

 “That’s good, because I’ve missed you too,” Chanyeol mumbled, pressing a kiss against Jongin’s temple. “I can’t _wait_ to get out of here…”

 Baekhyun could not help but laugh at that, knowing how much his husband hated hospitals.

 He had been made _very_ well-aware of that fact, after Chanyeol had more or less chewed his head off about putting him there once again, swearing that this was the _last time_ , no more kids, never again! Which had been the exact same thing he had said last time, but around six months after Jongin’s birth, Chanyeol had very seriously told Baekhyun that he wanted another one, and now here they were, yet again.

 “Don't worry, at the first opportunity to arise, we'll kidnap the both of you,” Baekhyun promised, taking great satisfaction in the widening of Chanyeol’s smile. “We've tried to formulate a plan, but it didn't go so well due to language barriers, so we're just gonna wing it.”

 Chuckling, Chanyeol reached out with his free hand, Baekhyun immediately taking it.

 “I love you,” Chanyeol sighed, so adoring it kind of had Baekhyun weak at the knees, happy for the fact that he was sitting down.

 “I love you, too, Chanyeol. So, so much.”

 

 Jongin was napping by the time Baekhyun picked up on a familiar scent, head immediately turning to face the doorway, noticing from the corner of his eye how Chanyeol did the same. Soon, a nurse walked inside, wheeling a cradle in front of her, a smile on her face as she looked over at them.

 “He’s all done and ready to be fed,” she said, looking between them. “Who would like to have the honor?”

 Glancing over at his husband, Baekhyun found Chanyeol already looking at him, sending a look down at the softly snoring Jongin. Chuckling, Baekhyun turned back to the nurse.

 “I think it’ll have to be me,” he said, the nurse nodding with a wide grin.

 “It looks like it,” she agreed, bringing their son over to Baekhyun. “I’m assuming you know how to do this, considering the little pup in the bed, but I’ll just go over it quickly with you to freshen things up.”

 Ten minutes later, Baekhyun was sitting comfortably reclined, one arm supporting his baby, and the other holding the bottle. He was pretty sure the smile on his face was now permanently etched onto there, but he did not mind that.

 He wanted to fully enjoy the moment of this peacefulness; of them all gathered together, no fighting, no three year old refusing to do as told, no sleepless nights, no dramatic teenagers - just his family quietly enjoying each other’s company, happiness filling the air around them.

 “Smile any larger, and I’m afraid your cheeks will crack,” Chanyeol softly teased, making Baekhyun look over at him, rolling his eyes.

 “Your smile is just as wide as mine, Yeollie, what’s your point?” Baekhyun replied, watching as Chanyeol’s smile brightened a tiny bit more.

 “Obviously we’re both about to burst from happiness,” Chanyeol answered, and had Baekhyun not had a newborn baby in his arms and a one-year-old barely a meter away, he would have burst out laughing.

 “I wouldn’t be surprised,” Baekhyun said, pretty sure his smile was matching Chanyeol’s in brilliance.

 Not long after, the baby had slowly fallen asleep in Baekhyun’s arms, and carefully, Baekhyun put the bottle away before looking over at Chanyeol.

 “Move over, daddy, we’re coming up too,” Baekhyun whispered as he as gently and slowly as possible stood up, making sure his son would not wake up.

 Moving Jongin onto his chest, Chanyeol scooted over in the oversized bed to make space, and Baekhyun slid in after him, settling down with his shoulder pressed against Chanyeol’s.

 “If only he can stay this quiet and cute forever,” Chanyeol said with a sigh, making Baekhyun chortle.

 “We’d be so bored by a baby that only slept all the time, we’re both too energetic and loud for that,” Baekhyun said, tracing his fingertips across a silky-smooth head. “We _can_ hope for him sleeping through the nights, though.”

 Sliding down a bit, Chanyeol put his head on Baekhyun’s shoulder, inhaling deeply before answering.

 “That’s a good one, let’s hope for that.”

 Baekhyun smiled as he looked over at Jongin, small mouth open and drooling down onto the hospital gown Chanyeol was wearing, looking so peaceful. The poor baby truly had missed Chanyeol, not used to being away from him for too long.

 “Jongin have always slept well, and they _are_ siblings after all, so might be something baby chick inherited too?”

 “Baby chick- we’re still not calling him baby chick,” Chanyeol bristled a little.

 Baekhyun thought it is a cute nickname - Chanyeol told him that it made him feel like he was a hen carrying an egg beneath his shirt.

 After telling Chanyeol that it kind of looked like he did, Baekhyun spent one and a half night crammed onto the sofa, which he had to admit he kind of deserved. But thankfully for his poor back, Chanyeol did not sleep well without Baekhyun, and so he was granted permission to return shortly again.

 “What else am I supposed to call him? We have baby bear Jonginnie, and baby chick still unnamed,” Baekhyun protested, highly amused by the way Jongin twitched in his sleep, on some level responding to his name.

 “Don’t wake the child,” Chanyeol softly scolded, placing a hand protectively on Jongin’s back - but there was a very amused glint in his eyes. “And I’ve been thinking about a name.”

 “You have?” Baekhyun asked in surprise, not having heard anything about that.

 “Yes, I have,” Chanyeol said, smiling as he reached out to touch three fingertips to the baby’s head. “It just popped into my head, and I haven’t been able to get it out since.”

 Baekhyun only had patience to wait for a few seconds after Chanyeol had gone silent, before he had to ask. “Yes, and? Name please?”

 Tilting his head back so that he could properly see Baekhyun, smile oh so soft, Chanyeol’s lips formed around the name he had chosen.

 “Sehun.”

 And, looking down at his youngest son, the little baby chick, Baekhyun had to agree that it was a rather perfect name for him.

 “Hello, Sehunnie, nice to meet you,” Baekhyun cooed, feeling as Chanyeol turned his head to press a kiss against Baekhyun’s shoulder, a wordless ‘thank you’ for accepting the name. “I’m your papa, next to me is your dada, and on your dada is Nini, your older brother. Welcome to the family, Hunnie.”

 And then Baekhyun truly had his hands full as he felt wetness starting to seep through his shirt, hearing small little sniffles as the hormones got to Chanyeol - a reaction which in turn wakes Jongin up, all wide-eyed confusion as to what was going on with the tiny thing in Baekhyun’s arms and Chanyeol crying.

 “Dada is just really happy, Nini, can you hug him?” Baekhyun told his oldest, smiling reassuringly to show that nothing is wrong. “His heart is _so_ full that it’s overflowing!”

 And maybe Jongin did not understand all of what Baekhyun was telling him, or even most of it, but there was this determined little frown on his face as he climbed further up Chanyeol’s chest, wrapping both arms around his neck.

 Of course, this leads to Chanyeol crying even harder, but there is a laugh mixed in with the sobbing.

 “Oh, goddess, I can’t, ah, can’t _wait_ for this emotional shit to be over,” Chanyeol huffed, voice a tiny bit more hoarse as he reached up with one hand to wipe tears away, the other sliding up and down Jongin’s back to show that he was okay.

 “No cursing in front of the children,” Baekhyun amusedly said, managing to get an arm around Chanyeol’s shoulders without jostling little Sehun too much. “But same, I don’t like seeing you cry.”

 “It did get me a lot of stuff I was craving, though,” Chanyeol thoughtfully said, Baekhyun snorting.

 Because it was true, just at the sight of glistening eyes Baekhyun would immediately give in to whatever his tall husband wanted, panic gripping his heart.

 “Like you can’t convince me in other ways,” Baekhyun said as he rolled his eyes, Chanyeol now snickering.

 “Not in front of the children, Baekhyunnie,” Chanyeol said, tone a bit impish - even if his voice was still also very wet.

 The sigh Baekhyun let out was deep and so very exasperated, but also _so_ loving.

 They really were so whipped for each other, it was insane.

 

 The next few days went past in somewhat of a blur, and then, finally, both Chanyeol and Sehun were given the okay to go home, and Baekhyun nearly sobbed alongside Chanyeol at the news.

 The apartment did not feel quite right with only Baekhyun and Jongin in it, and Baekhyun knew that Jongin fully agreed, even if he did not quite know it, understand it, nor was able to say it. He was young, but he instinctively _knew_ that something was wrong, could feel it with his entire being.

 It just did not feel right not to have the entire pack there, knowing they were safe. Baekhyun knew; he felt the same.

 But today was the day they finally go home.

 With Jongin at home with Baekhyun’s parents, Baekhyun almost sped on his way to the hospital, the only thing holding him back was the thought of _not_ being there for his family. Chanyeol was strong, had proven himself time and time again, but _right now_ he was weak, incapacitated by Sehun. So Baekhyun forced himself to breathe, take it slow, and arrive at the hospital in one piece - without a ticket too. Which was almost a miracle, honestly.

 Chanyeol complained the entire way from his room and down to the car, not at all liking to have to be wheeled out by Baekhyun in a wheelchair, but Baekhyun happily hummed to a random tune as he ignored that. And considering the wince Chanyeol gave as Baekhyun helped him into the backseat, next to the firmly strapped-in Sehun, it was obvious that he would not have enjoyed walking all the way over. He was sore as _fuck._

 “I’m trusting you to put on your own seatbelt,” Baekhyun said as he leaned forwards to place a quick peck on Chanyeol’s suddenly pursed lips, laughing as he pulled back.

 “I hope you enjoyed waking up to a wet bed and me screaming, because that was the last time you spent in my bed,” Chanyeol growled - and really, how could Baekhyun _not._

 Leaning forwards to whisper into Chanyeol’s ear, not wanting their son to hear - no matter how young he was - Baekhyun _purred._

 “Oh, you _know_ I enjoy it, how can I _not_ enjoy you begging for me?”

 With that, and a rather hard punch to his shoulder, Baekhyun walked away to return the wheelchair to the hospital, the slam of a car door loud behind him.

 The thing was, they were both talking about two different situations, the actions still applying to both of them. Except for the whole Baekhyun enjoying it, that only applied to one of them. Baekhyun very much did _not_ enjoy waking up to Chanyeol sobbing his name as Sehun apparently decided that he wanted to get out _now_ , basically kickstarting the active labor phase almost immediately after the latent phase began. Thankfully, as it had been expected to occur within the next few days, Jongin had already been with Baekhyun’s parents, and so Baekhyun had been able to drive Chanyeol to the hospital without worrying about another child.

  _But_ , Baekhyun very much enjoys a wet bed and a screaming Chanyeol in _other_ much nicer situations. No denying of that.

 Baekhyun drove much more carefully on the way home, careful to the point that Chanyeol had to tell him several times to _please_ drive a bit faster, grandpa, because Chanyeol wanted to finally get home, and in the end, they made it, Chanyeol sighing as they finally drove into the underground parking garage.

 “Car seats are not good for soreness,” Chanyeol muttered as Baekhyun parked the car, making him laugh.

 “I already have the pillow waiting for you in the sofa,” Baekhyun promised as he turned the car off. “Not my first rodeo!”

 “You really need to stop with all of the dirty jokes and innuendos, it’s painful just to think about,” Chanyeol winced - and Baekhyun without a doubt believed him.

 Pushing a kid out like that… Baekhyun was secretly rather happy about his own alpha status meaning he was unable to get pregnant.

 “Or _you_ need to get your head out of the gutter, Yeollie,” Baekhyun shot back, getting out of the car before Chanyeol could respond, getting everything together before helping Chanyeol out as well.

 The progress to the elevator was slow, and Baekhyun absently wondered if it would not have been better to borrow the wheelchair with them.

 “I’m not moving for half a year,” Chanyeol whispered as they finally made it inside the elevator, face a bit pale when Baekhyun looked up at him.

 “You don’t have to move even for a _whole_ year, baby, don’t worry,” Baekhyun said, rubbing his hand up and down Chanyeol’s side, the other secure around the baby car seat handle.

 He did not like it, seeing Chanyeol in pain like this - especially not knowing it was partially his own fault. Yes, it _was_ amazing to have another child, but the happiness of it was slightly diluted by Chanyeol’s pain, there was no denying that. Which was why Baekhyun planned on getting Chanyeol inside and comfortable as soon as possible without causing Chanyeol more discomfort.

 Thankfully, their apartment was not far down the hallway, and Baekhyun’s mother was standing with the door open as they approached, eliminating another obstacle and allowing them inside much quicker, taking Sehun and bag from Baekhyun so that he could help Chanyeol over to the sofa.

 “I’m not kidding, I’m never again moving,” Chanyeol sighed as he was finally seated, going near boneless as he sunk into the sofa.

 “I don’t think you have to, Baekhyun would probably do whatever you ask him to do,” Baekhyun’s father joked as he appeared in the living room, carrying a newly awakened-looking Jongin with him.

 Baekhyun could feel the tips of his ears heat up as Chanyeol gives him a rather pointed look - apparently everyone knew just how whipped Baekhyun was.

 “Thanks, dad, for embarrassing me,” Baekhyun muttered, pressing a kiss to Jongin’s cheek. “Did he sleep until now?”

 “He woke up for a bit shortly after you left, but fell asleep not long after,” his father told him, poking Jongin’s little nose, Jongin scrunching it up in protest. “Where’s your mother?”

 “Probably crying over her new grandkid,” Baekhyun said with a shrug - and sure enough, there was a sniffle coming from behind him a few seconds later.

 “Leave me alone, I’m sure you sobbed like a baby first time seeing him,” Baekhyun’s mother muttered, but as Baekhyun turned to retort something, he caught sight of the smile on her lips, and decided to actually leave her be.

 Still carrying Jongin, Baekhyun’s father went over to join his wife, both looking down at their youngest grandchild with tender expressions.

 Feeling a tug on his hand, Baekhyun looked down at his husband in question. Tilting his head to the side, Chanyeol wordlessly asked him to sit down, and Baekhyun did, relaxing against Chanyeol as Chanyeol wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

 “It’s nice being home again,” Chanyeol mumbled against Baekhyun’s hair, and smiling, Baekhyun placed a hand on Chanyeol’s thigh and squeezed.

 “Welcome home, Chanyeol, it hasn’t been the same without you.”

 “I bet, I’m a much better cook than you are,” Chanyeol snorted, and Baekhyun let out an offended gasp.

 “Excuse you! I’m a _great_ cook!” Baekhyun retorted, turning his head to face Chanyeol.

 “You might be, doesn’t mean I’m not better than you,” Chanyeol responded, booping Baekhyun’s nose and making him scrunch it up - it was obvious from where Jongin had gotten it.

 “Considering the two cute little buns that are my grandkids, I’d say that you _both_ are great cooks,” Baekhyun’s mother cut in, making Baekhyun groan as both he and Chanyeol flushed.

 “Do you two live to tease and embarrass me?” Baekhyun whined as Chanyeol hid his face against Baekhyun’s neck. “Look at what you did, now he got all shy, leave my husband alone! Go embarrass Daehyun and his new mate instead!”

 “I’m sure you embarrass Chanyeol more than we do, sweetie,” Baekhyun’s father rather absentmindedly said, obviously much more focused on Sehun.

 Chanyeol lifted his head long enough to be able to loudly and clearly affirm that, making Baekhyun’s parents burst out laughing, and Baekhyun grumble.

 “I’m your husband, I’m allowed to do that,” Baekhyun muttered, pout probably obvious even in his voice considering how Chanyeol pressed a kiss to the area where Baekhyun’s mark rested in consolation.

 “You’re our sons, we’re allowed to do that,” Baekhyun’s mother chirped, mimicking and mocking Baekhyun, while simultaneously managing to coo over Sehun waking up enough to yawn.

 “I’m honestly feeling so attacked right now,” Baekhyun protested, squeezing Chanyeol’s thigh one last time to tell him that he would soon be back, before standing up. “You’ll all regret driving me away like this!”

 And then Baekhyun went to fetch Chanyeol a glass of water, suspecting he was getting pretty thirsty - and needing to drink anyway, because hydrating was important. And Baekhyun be damned if he did not make sure to properly take care of his beloved husband, his true mate, especially mere days after labour.

 

 A few hours later, they were all alone at home, only their little family, and Baekhyun’s world was right and at peace again. And he knew, could feel it in the air, that each member of the Byun family felt the same - though he was a bit unsure about Sehun, considering he was a newborn baby, without much awareness about his surroundings.

 But Jongin was at peace, cuddled up in Baekhyun’s arms, and so was Chanyeol, Sehun cuddled up in his arms. Just like how it should be, the not-so-little family of now four all cuddled up together.

 “Welcome home, Sehunnie,” Chanyeol whispered, smile soft, and Baekhyun did not even try to fight his own just as soft smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's 614, I couldn't finish anything else, this already had the first chapter done and the next three mostly written, so why not? I'll try to post the coming chapters as soon as possible, but I'm going away tomorrow, so might be a little while!  
> Anyway, I hope y'all enjoyed this softness ;; ...........and that not too many were scared away by omega!Yeol just having given birth, lmao!


	2. Chapter 2

 The first time Baekhyun and Chanyeol met, they were four.

 Or, well, Baekhyun was, at least. Chanyeol had yet to turn four, but for all intents and purposes he was four.

 Chanyeol’s family had moved to the town where Baekhyun’s family lived, citing wanting to live in a smaller town closer to nature for their kids to grow up in as the reason - it was not until several years later that Baekhyun found out that that was not the full truth.

 But so Chanyeol entered the same class as Baekhyun, and it was a bit like friendship at first sight. Baekhyun claimed that it was Chanyeol’s adorably large ears that caught his attention at first, but Chanyeol refuted that claim and said it was his adorably large  _ eyes _ that had Baekhyun want to get close. After all, they had stared at each other for several seconds, before Baekhyun had made his way over and introduced himself.

 Needless to say, a great friendship was forged on that day. And together with Yoora and Heeyeon, Chanyeol’s sister and cousin respectively, they formed a little pack, known throughout the small town as the four troublemakers. Of course, they were all so very adored, exasperation interlaced with fondness whenever anyone talked about them.

 The years went past, and they all stayed together throughout kindergarten and later school, though their troublemaker status began to lessen as other things grew more important - alongside the differences.

 There was a reason for why Baekhyun had unofficially picked up the leader role of their little pack, even though the others could easily make him do whatever they wanted. There was a reason for why Chanyeol, after they had entered their teenage years, began to smell even sweeter for a few days every now and then. They were the same, yet not quite, only parts of their genetic makeup similar to each other.

 Baekhyun had inherited the alpha gene from his mother, whilst Chanyeol was a pureblooded omega.

 Most of the time, that did not matter to them. They were still best friends. Then there were moments, when they could not see each other for a little while, just  _ because _ of their differences. Baekhyun hanging out with Chanyeol in the middle of Chanyeol’s heat might result in some…  _ Unwanted consequences. _

 There were also other things that affected only Chanyeol, though these were societal, not genetic.

 Male omegas were not uncommon, Baekhyun’s own younger brother was one as well, but there were still people who saw them as something close to abominations. Betas were seen as the standard from which every other gender had mutated, so just like female alphas, male omegas were seen as genes gone really wrong.

 All the other combinations had only one set of reproductive organs, but male omegas and female alphas had two. And apparently, this made them freaks of nature, and unfortunately not so rarely also the victims of other people.

 Which Chanyeol had to experience as they began their thirteenth year, becoming the favorite bully subject of a few betas in their class.

 They never really did anything when Baekhyun was around, but sometimes it only took Baekhyun stepping out for them to gang up on Chanyeol. But this was not something Chanyeol shared with Baekhyun - until the day they had been so rough it left a trail of bruises on Chanyeol’s arm. And the only reason for why Baekhyun saw that was because they were having a sleepover that night, accidentally catching sight of it as Chanyeol changed.

 “Chanyeol…,” Baekhyun slowly said, eyes still on the bluish purple skin, gaining Chanyeol’s attention immediately. “What’s that?”

 Following Baekhyun’s gaze, Chanyeol only glanced down, before he looked away and hurried to tug the shirt down his arm. “A bruise, obviously.”

 “Thank you, Captain Obvious,” Baekhyun snarked, stepping closer to Chanyeol, who crossed his arms over his chest. “How did you get it?  _ When _ did you get it?”

 “Before,” Chanyeol answered, clearly wanting to avoid the subject - and that was what had the alarm bells go off in Baekhyun’s head.

 “Chanyeol,” Baekhyun warned in growling, but it never really had any effect on Chanyeol. Maybe because Baekhyun never really did it  _ to _ affect Chanyeol. He did not like that, did not want to exercise the power he had on his friends, especially not his best friend.

 “Baekhyun,” Chanyeol growled right back, sounding almost scarier than Baekhyun, which had Baekhyun frown.

 Chanyeol would playfully assert dominance from time to time, but never did he actually do it like this.

 “Something is wrong, and I need you to tell me what it is,” Baekhyun said, the closest he had ever been to actually order someone. He did not like it, the words tasted sour on his tongue, but…

 Chanyeol was hurt, and desperate times equal desperate measures.

 “You don’t need me to tell you anything, I don’t  _ have _ to tell you anything,” Chanyeol protested, not even looking at Baekhyun anymore, and that almost hurt the most.

 They did not keep secrets from each other. They shared everything, almost  _ overshared _ , to the point of sometimes ruining surprises and gifts for each other because they just could not hold back.

 Silence stretched for a long time, a bad silence, the kind of silence they had never really had before, and Baekhyun hated it.

 “Chanyeollie…,” he slowly said, noticing how Chanyeol pursed his lips but still refused to look at him. “I’m worried… You’re my best friend and you’re hurt, and you won’t even tell me what’s wrong? I don’t like seeing you hurt…”

 It took a little while, but then Chanyeol sighed, a soft sound, arms loosening up to fall to his sides as he curled in a little on himself. He was almost as tall as Baekhyun now, but he looked  _ tiny _ right then and there.

 “They say it’s because I’m an omega, and that’s not right…,” Chanyeol answered, voice just as tiny as he looked. “Male omegas shouldn’t exist…”

 “What?!” Baekhyun gasped, feeling anger surge through him. “Who?!”

 “Don’t, Baek, it’s not worth it…,” Chanyeol mumbled, one of his hands coming up to rub at his bruised arm. “They’re just stupid and insecure or whatever they say about bullies…”

 “But you can’t let them hurt you, Chanyeol!” Baekhyun exclaimed. “I don’t care about any of that, I care about you being  _ hurt! _ ”

 “Shut up, you’re being too loud!” Chanyeol hissed, stepping closer to put a hand over Baekhyun’s mouth, eyes darting towards the closed door of Baekhyun’s room.

 Fighting dirty, Baekhyun licked the palm silencing him, watching in muted amusement as Chanyeol squealed and pulled his hand away with a pout, letting Chanyeol wipe the almost non-existent saliva away on him.

 “Tell me who they are, and I’ll talk with them,” Baekhyun said, sounding  _ way _ calmer than he actually felt.

 “No,” Chanyeol stubbornly refused, back to crossing his arms over his chest as he shook his head. “You’ll just make it worse. Big, bad alpha Baekhyun coming to save weak little omega Chanyeol. No chance in hell. I refuse.”

 Baring his teeth towards his best friend, Baekhyun held up a hand and clenched it in the air, as if he was choking Chanyeol - but of course would he never do that.  _ So infuriating! _

 “Then you’ll just have to stand up for yourself, show them that you’re  _ not _ weak little omega Chanyeol,” Baekhyun decided, not waiting for input before he continued. “I know you don’t like to, but you have to show them that you’re strong and that they shouldn’t mess with you. Just enduring and staying silent isn’t something you should do, then they’re winning, you know?”

 Petulantly, Chanyeol slowly nodded, a pout growing on his lips that Baekhyun quickly booped.

 “You can look really scary when you frown, so do that! And like take a few steps towards them, that’s scary too!” Baekhyun instructed his best friend, getting very into it all. “You can growl while doing it too, yes, frowning and growling and stepping closer, super scary!”

 Nodding to himself in satisfaction, Baekhyun stilled at the sound of a giggle.

 “You’re so stupid, Baekhyun,” Chanyeol said, but he was grinning widely, so Baekhyun did not take too much offense.

 Just a little bit.

 “I’m not stupid, I’m helpful, you little brat!” Baekhyun defended himself, yet again taking advantage of the fact that he was born almost seven-ish months before Chanyeol. He had a tendency to do so - not that it gained him much. But he still did.

 Before Chanyeol could reply, the door to Baekhyun’s room was flung open, startling the both of them so badly they squeaked in harmony, Daehyun almost tumbling inside.

 “Pizza!” was what Baekhyun’s younger brother breathlessly exclaimed, but it still had the three of them scramble downstairs as quickly as possible, everything else forgotten.

 At least momentarily.

 “Thank you, for before,” Chanyeol whispered later that night, when they were lying on the mattresses spread out in the living room, Daehyun as per usual sprawled out across Chanyeol. For some reason Daehyun liked to cuddle with Chanyeol, making Baekhyun whine over the unfairness of his own brother loving his best friend more than him every now and then, but Baekhyun also understood. Chanyeol was calming. Nice.

 “No problem, sweetheart,” Baekhyun singsonged, and then the both of them burst into muted giggles, trying not to wake Daehyun up.

 

 Not even a week later, Chanyeol was sent to the principal's office, sending Baekhyun a grin and a thumbs up through the window of the classroom as he was being led away from the school by his father. Baekhyun mirrored the grin, even though he also worried a bit over the bruise blooming across Chanyeol’s cheeks.

 That bruise, as well as the bruises on Chanyeol’s bullies combined with Chanyeol’s statement about the bullying, led to no one really bothering Chanyeol again.

 He might be an omega, but he had for sure shown that he was not as weak as his bullies had tried to make him out to be. And he would once again prove himself merely two years later, in such a way that there would no longer be any doubt about his strength.

 

 They were fifteen, in the beginning of summer, and Baekhyun was stuck at a family reunion.

 He would much rather have been anywhere else, preferably with Chanyeol playing the new game they had managed to scrape together the funds for, but really, Baekhyun was not picky. As long as it was away from  _ here _ he would take it.

 Not even the sweet smell of BBQ could really change his mind - and Baekhyun  _ loved _ eating.

 Daehyun seemed to feel the same as Baekhyun.

 “Why do we even have to be here, it’s just old people, and no one is talking to us anyway,” Daehyun muttered, plopping his head down on Baekhyun’s shoulder.

 “Hush, child, don’t jinx us,” Baekhyun muttered right back, swirling the straw in his drink round and round. He was most surely making all of the bubbles disappear from the soda, and that would taste disgusting,  _ but he did not care. _

 “I hope the food is done soon,” Daehyun sighed, leaning a bit further into Baekhyun’s side, and Baekhyun sighed in agreement.

 But just as he opened his mouth to respond, he felt something, like a  _ zing _ , shoot through him, startling him bad enough for Daehyun to pull back and look over at him in confusion.

 Another  _ zing _ appeared, this one harder than the last, going straight for Baekhyun’s heart, and with a gasp, he pressed his hand against his chest. Something was wrong…

 “Hyung, are you okay?”

 Baekhyun barely even registered the words as he felt yet another  _ zing. _

 There was something wrong, something that had to do with Chanyeol, and without even thinking Baekhyun just ran, shouts of confusion following him, but he ignored them.

 He needed to get to Chanyeol  _ right now. _

 Rushing through the forest, heart in his throat, Baekhyun did not even  _ think _ of changing to be able to run faster. His mind was racing so much he might not even be  _ able _ to change. All he could focus on was to get to Chanyeol.

 As the backyard of Chanyeol’s house came into view, Baekhyun began to breathe a bit easier - until his eyes registered what lay in front of him.

 Baekhyun had never seen what Chanyeol’s parents looked like in wolf form, but it did not take a lot to figure out that the two wolves lying across the grass were them. And it did not take a lot to figure out that the amount of blood drenching the grass around them was bad,  _ extremely _ bad.

 A weak whimper had Baekhyun’s head snap up, gaze drawn from the wolves in front of him, towards another shape. This one was human, and moving, having Baekhyun immediately run over as he recognized her.

 “Yoora!” Baekhyun gasped as his knees collided with the ground next to her, shaking hands reaching out but coming to a stop above her body. She was injured, badly so, but she was alive and  _ awake. _ “Oh my goddess- Yoora-”

 “Baek,” Yoora whispered, and Baekhyun wanted to tell her to be quiet, save her strength or whatever you were supposed to say, but he could not find the words. “Chanyeol… The other wolf…”

 Eyes widening, Baekhyun whipped his head around to look for the missing sibling, seeing nothing.

 “H-he lured the last one away, away from me…,” Yoora continued, and Baekhyun could barely even breathe by now, realizing what Chanyeol had done. “Find him.”

 Nodding, and then nodding some more, Baekhyun stood up, willed his legs to work, before turning towards the direction Yoora was looking in. But he was hesitant to go, hesitant to leave Yoora alone, even if he  _ needed _ to get to Chanyeol, right in this very moment.

 “Go, I’m fine,” Yoora whispered, offering the weakest smile Baekhyun had ever seen - but it was enough.

 Baekhyun was running again - before almost stumbling, just on the edge of the woods, over a dark shape.

 Another wolf. An unfamiliar one. Dead, judging by the large claw marks across its neck. It only had Baekhyun running even faster, ignoring the nausea.

 It was not much longer before he could hear sounds of fighting - howls and snarls and growls - breaking through the woods to find Chanyeol and another wolf going head to head with each other. And Chanyeol was for sure injured, limping, but obviously ignoring it as he tried to stand his ground against the adult wolf that was not far from twice his size.

 Not thinking about his own form, Baekhyun rushed forward just as the wolf managed to get to another one of Chanyeol’s legs, bringing him off balance and crashing to the ground. With a roar, Baekhyun kicked towards the wolf, sending it stumbling away quite the bit, giving Baekhyun some time to look over Chanyeol.

 Only to notice that his best friend was  _ still _ trying to get up, to fight. This stubborn idiot!

 “Chanyeol,  _ lie still! _ ” Baekhyun roared, putting all of his alpha power into his words, watching as Chanyeol’s entire wolf body began to tremble, obviously fighting the order, before collapsing.

 Not wasting a single second, Baekhyun tore through his human skin, getting in front of Chanyeol to protect him as the other wolf seemed to gather itself. Growling low in his throat, Baekhyun put all of his fury and all of his fear for Chanyeol into the sound, letting the wolf know that Baekhyun would  _ not _ back down. He would do whatever it took to protect his best friend, currently lying panting and whimpering in pain behind him.

 Baekhyun would do whatever it took to protect Chanyeol, and he would avenge Chanyeol, for all of the pain he was suffering through.

 The other wolf barely even hesitated before continuing to move towards Baekhyun and Chanyeol - and so, with one last enraged snarl, Baekhyun attacked.

 There was no time to think, no way his clouded mind could even try to keep up with what was going on, so Baekhyun gave in fully to his instincts as he clawed and bit and parried and evaded. It was messy, and it was horrible, and it would forever be imprinted into his mind, but Baekhyun stood his ground, keeping the other wolf away from Chanyeol and focused on Baekhyun only.

 But he was just a teenage wolf, with no real knowledge or experience in fighting, and on top of that fighting in a seething, red haze, leaving him exposed to attacks more than once that left his grey fur dripping with the same red clouding his eyes. He was doing damage to the other wolf as well, yes, but he was not even sure it was enough.

 And then, through some kind of miracle, the other wolf slipped, giving Baekhyun the opening he needed to be able to clamp his jaws around an exposed throat and  _ bite. _ The other wolf began to thrash, but Baekhyun held on, clung to the images of an injured Chanyeol, an injured Yoora, and their parents, to make sure that he did not lose his grip.

 He felt the moment his teeth punctured and ruptured the carotid artery, blood filling his mouth. He felt the moment the force crushed the windpipe, cutting off oxygen. And he felt the moment, mere seconds later, that the wolf grew limp.

 Finally, something else pierced through the haze, and terrified of what he had just done, Baekhyun forced his jaws apart, the wolf flopping to the ground in a heap, unseeing eyes turned to the sky. Whimpering as his breathing began to pick up, panic infusing every breath, Baekhyun did not notice the presence until it was right beside him, pushing him down against the ground.

 It was only the familiar scent enhanced and spilling around him that kept Baekhyun from lashing out an attack, too far gone in his own mind to register anything else. Turning his head, he let out a low whine as he found his mother standing above him, staring down at him with hard yet concerned eyes.

 As she seemed to realize that Baekhyun was fully there, she softened a little bit, nuzzling against Baekhyun’s neck before pulling back again. Letting out a little sound, she placed a paw against one of Baekhyun’s, the same way she had done so many times before.

_ ‘Turn back,’ _ he could almost hear her whisper in his mind, and so he did.

 The first thing Baekhyun did after changing back to his human form was to puke. Falling down onto his knees and hands, he spilled all of the content of his stomach out onto the grass - including the blood.

 It was so red, so  _ bright _ against the green, revolting and making Baekhyun puke even more just from the sight of it, until he managed to turn his eyes away and gulp down a few breaths to calm his poor stomach.

 A nudge against his side had Baekhyun look over at his mother, still in wolf form, as she nodded her head in a direction. Baekhyun barely even had to look to know what his mother was indicating, quickly scrambling up onto trembling legs to make his way over.

 Chanyeol was lying so still on the ground, barely even seeming to breathe, as Baekhyun fell down to his knees next to him. His eyes were half-lidded, focused on nothing in particular, at least nothing  _ there _ , in the present.

 “Chanyeol…,” Baekhyun slowly whispered, unsure of what to do, yet still needing to do something right now.

 Reaching out with one hand, Baekhyun placed it against Chanyeol’s shoulder - and that was when Baekhyun realized that he was actually shaking, almost shaking apart, even as he to the eye seemed still. And as soon as Baekhyun felt that, he wrapped his arm around the large wolf, pressed himself up against Chanyeol’s entire form, and just tried to hold him as close as possible.

 It did not take long before Chanyeol shifted beneath Baekhyun, trembling much more evident in his human form, and in the way he seemed to gasp every breath.

 “Y-Yoora-” was what Chanyeol managed to say after a while, voice not sounding like himself at all, ruined to the point that Baekhyun could barely understand him.

 “Safe, she’s safe,” Baekhyun hurried to say, hugging Chanyeol even closer. “She’s injured but safe, you saved her, Chanyeol. You saved her.”

 That was when Chanyeol broke down completely, so loud yet so silent as his body finally mirrored everything on the inside. And all Baekhyun could do was to tug on Chanyeol to turn around and face him, and then hold him even closer, allowing Chanyeol to seek refugee in the crook of his neck.

 

 Baekhyun was not really sure what was happening around them, too caught up in everything between him and Chanyeol - Yoora, their parents, the wolf - but after a while Baekhyun’s father joined them.

 Still in his wolf form, he laid down behind Chanyeol, and mere moments later Baekhyun could feel the soothing hormones wash over them.

 It did not take long before Chanyeol began to grow lax in Baekhyun’s hold, tears still dripping down Baekhyun’s shoulder, but seemingly lessening. He must have been exhausted, but Baekhyun did not blame him.

 A tongue suddenly ran up the arm Baekhyun had wrapped around Chanyeol’s waist, and lifting his head, he came face to face with his father. Lifting his arm and looking down at it, Baekhyun realized that it was bleeding from various cuts - he had not even noticed them. He knew he had taken hits, but he had not really concerned himself with where or how bad. It had only been  _ Chanyeol _ , he had been Baekhyun’s only concern.

 “I’m fine,” Baekhyun whispered, voice raspy. “I don’t think anything is too deep, doesn’t feel like it.”

 Baekhyun could clear as day see the disapproval in his father’s eyes, but he merely heaved a heavy sigh, and Baekhyun managed a smile at him before lying down a bit more comfortably again.

 Closing his eyes, Baekhyun tried to relax, to get some rest. Never before had his father’s calming failed him, but today it did, and Baekhyun  _ knew _ that he would not be able to relax until he knew that Chanyeol was okay. Or as okay as Chanyeol could be right now.

 That was why when his mother got closer, Baekhyun immediately opened his eyes and looked over at her. She was in human form, looking agitated and frustrated, worry diluting it somewhat.

 “Changmin is on his way,” his mother said, making some of the tension bleed out of Baekhyun. “He’ll take a look at you both to determine if you need further treatment… Which it looks like you do.”

 “What about…,” Baekhyun began, trailing off as he did not really know how to continue the sentence - not when holding on to Chanyeol like he was, trying to somewhat hold him together, even though Baekhyun knew that was basically impossible.

 But his mother seemed to understand anyway.

 “Yunho is with them already, they’re probably on their way to the hospital,” she said, and Baekhyun exhaled.

 Hospital. That was good. There was help to get at the hospital.

 Just a few minutes later, Changmin arrived, focused and in full doctor mode as he knelt by Baekhyun and Chanyeol.

 “I need you to let go of Chanyeol for a minute, Baekhyun, so I can examine him,” Changmin said, voice soft. It was not a request, but Changmin made it sound like one, which made it a bit easier for Baekhyun to let go of his best friend.

 But it was hard, to stay away, especially as Changmin examined obviously painful areas that had Chanyeol whimper - but he did not wake up. So that was a blessing, at least, that Chanyeol did not have to go through it awake.

 “You both have wounds that needs to be at least cleaned, probably stitched,” Changmin began after having checked Baekhyun as well. “The ambulance should be here any minute, and you’re both coming with.”

 Baekhyun nodded at that, shuffling closer to Chanyeol as Changmin pulled back.

 When the ambulance arrived, they quickly got Chanyeol onto the stretcher. Baekhyun, who was still able to move on his own, got a blanket to wrap around himself while riding in one of the seats in the back of the ambulance, close enough to be able to keep a hand on Chanyeol’s leg.

 At the hospital, they were separated as Chanyeol was taken away to get X-rays done, while Baekhyun was taken to get his wounds cleaned and patched. Only three of them were large enough to require at least a few stitches, but Baekhyun had to say that the stitches hurt way less than the cleaning - or the anaesthesia. And he refused to believe it was  _ because _ of the anaesthesia, because damn, that shit hurt!

 As if having sensed Baekhyun’s internal cursing, his father suddenly appeared, carrying fresh clothes for Baekhyun as well as an unreadable expression. Some of it was relief, some was worry, some was seemingly disappointment, but Baekhyun could not decipher it all.

 “How is he?” Baekhyun’s father asked the nurse tending to Baekhyun as soon as he had reached the bed Baekhyun was on, placing a hand on Baekhyun’s knee. Leaning against his father, Baekhyun took all of the offered comfort, kind of really needing it right now, blocking out the nurse’s voice as she went through all of his injuries.

 He could feel them, he did not need to  _ hear _ about them too.

 Suddenly his father was moving, sitting down next to Baekhyun on the bed and wrapping an arm around his shoulders, allowing Baekhyun to lean even further against him.

 “Have you heard anything about Chanyeol yet?” he softly asked, hand massaging Baekhyun’s shoulder.

 Baekhyun shook his head, closing his eyes as he breathed his father’s scent in. It was easier to let it relax him now.

 “Not since we got here, he was going to the X-ray, don’t know more than that,” Baekhyun mumbled in reply. “Do you know anything about the rest?”

 The heavy sigh Baekhyun’s father let out was answer enough, really. And Baekhyun did not know if he wanted to know the  _ full _ answer.

 “I know something, yes.”

 Baekhyun was not prepared for this.

 “Yoora is… I wouldn’t say  _ fine _ , but as fine as she could possibly be, considering the circumstances,” his father told him, and Baekhyun’s breath hitched on a relieved sigh. “She’ll be fine in time. Chanyeol most surely saved her life.”

 Baekhyun felt a tiny smile lift the corners of his lips - Chanyeol would be happy to hear that.

 “But…,” Baekhyun’s father continued, hesitating a little, and Baekhyun knew. He  _ knew. _ “They were not able to save Jihoon, he was gone by the time they arrived, and the resuscitation attempts failed. Taehee is in surgery right now, but… It’s not looking good.”

 Baekhyun slowly nodded at that, honestly not that surprised. He had seen the scene of the aftermath, he had heard it in his father’s voice, he was not surprised. It still stung, though - even more so when he thought about Chanyeol and Yoora, and what they would have to face now.

 Blinking his eyes rapidly, Baekhyun did not try to hold his tears back, just get them out of the way faster. His father pressed a kiss against the side of his forehead, and then they were silent, just sitting there together, which was everything Baekhyun wanted and needed right in that very moment.

 

 It turned out that Chanyeol did not have any full bone fractures, though he had two almost completed cracks that required him to not put any pressure on his right leg. Other than that, he had a few deep wounds, and they would scar, but nothing worse than that, thankfully.

 As soon as possible, Baekhyun somewhat forced his way into Chanyeol’s room,  _ demanding _ for his bed to be transferred to right beside Chanyeol. His demands were rather easily met, and so he was there when Chanyeol finally woke up again.

 “Hi,” Baekhyun whispered as he saw fluttering eyelids, heavy gaze dropping to him.

 “Baek,” Chanyeol whispered back, throat sounding about as dry as one would expect - but it still had Baekhyun wince a little in sympathy.

 “Yeah, it’s me, I’m here,” Baekhyun said, giving a tiny smile. “Yoora is in the ICU, but they told me she’ll probably be able to be moved in here soon too.”

 Chanyeol closed his eyes for a moment and swallowed, and when he once more looked up at Baekhyun, his eyes were dark and wet.

 Chanyeol knew.

 Wordlessly, Baekhyun held a hand out, and Chanyeol took it, clinging to it for dear life.

 Baekhyun confirmed.

 They did not say anything else after that, and there were not really any words that could be used either. They just stayed close to each other, finding comfort in their shared closeness as they wallowed in the events of the day.

 And when Baekhyun fell asleep, he dreamt of nauseating red and pained screams.

 

 The next day brought checkups and interrogations, as well as Yoora. She was not there for the first two things, though, and Baekhyun kind of suspected that was a good thing, considering the condition she was in. She did not need to relive everything again. Not that Chanyeol should have to, either, but unfortunately he was the one in the best shape to do so.

 Baekhyun just wished it had not started with the confirmation of Chanyeol’s father’s death, and his mother’s current comatose state. But, it had needed to be said, gotten out of the way, and so it was.

 And then it was Chanyeol’s turn to get things out of the way. Baekhyun stayed by his side and held his hand all throughout it.

 “Can you tell me what happened, Chanyeol?” Changmin asked in a soft voice, smiling his patient doctor smile. “If it gets too much, you can stop, but at least try?”

 Looking over at Baekhyun, who squeezed their connected hands, Chanyeol sucked in a trembling breath and nodded.

 Baekhyun was pretty sure he did not want to hear this, but he would stay. For Chanyeol, he would stay.

 Chanyeol took another moment to gather himself, before he looked down at their hands, running the pad of his thumb across the beauty mark on Baekhyun’s thumb.

 “I don’t really know what happened, how it started…,” Chanyeol began in a small voice, keeping his eyes downcast. “I was inside, with mom and Yoora, and dad was outside. But then mom froze, and we heard something, something… Strange. So we all went to the backdoor, and…”

 Here, Chanyeol had to stop for a moment, but after just another deep breath, he continued.

 “D-dad was fighting the wolf, trying at least… I think he was taken by surprise…? They were two… Mom r-ran out, tried to help, but dad… He fell. And then Yoora was gone, and the wolves went for h-her, so I just…,” Chanyeol said, the gathering tears starting to overflow as his grip on Baekhyun turned painful, but Baekhyun just held on, trying  _ not _ to visualize anything in his head. “I couldn’t just  _ stand _ there, but when I came outside I saw m-mom trying to hold t-them back, but she was so hurt, and they got to Y-Yoora, and I tried to help her, help them both-”

 Chanyeol was hyperventilating, having rushed the words out, Changmin having had to place a hand on Chanyeol’s shoulder to get him to slow down and just breathe. Reaching up with his free hand, Chanyeol messily wiped his tears away, and it took a few minutes, but in the end he managed to calm down enough to continue his story.

 “I managed to claw through the throat of one of them, and I… I think that made the other one mad? It came after me, but that was what I wanted, to get it away from my family… And then Baekhyun showed up,” Chanyeol finished, the feelings having drained from his speech by the end of it, grip on Baekhyun now lax. Looking just as exhausted as he seemed.

 But Baekhyun could not really blame him.

 “Thank you, Chanyeol, now get some rest,” Changmin said, gently caressing Chanyeol’s hair before standing up and heading towards the door. “I’ll let the police know what you’ve told me so they won’t have to disturb you now as you heal. You did well.”

 As soon as Changmin left, Chanyeol’s eyelids closed, breath wetly hitching a few times even if it was obvious that he was trying to hold himself back. And there was only so much Baekhyun could take, especially now.

 “Scoot over,” Baekhyun said, voice rougher than normal from how emotional this had all made him.

 Chanyeol did not say anything, did not open his eyes, just moved a little - but it was enough for Baekhyun to climb into the bed as well. Pulling the cover up over the both of them, Baekhyun began to pull on Chanyeol, before he had him firmly in his embrace.

 “Now cry, I’ll make sure no one sees you,” Baekhyun said, one of his hands laid across the side of Chanyeol’s face - the side not pressed against Baekhyun’s shoulder - obscuring him from view.

 And Baekhyun knew that it was not really the fear of someone seeing him cry that held Chanyeol back, but the offered easy way out was still taken.

 For the second time in just as many days, Chanyeol broke down into ugly sobs against Baekhyun. And just like last time, Baekhyun silently held him through it, offered whatever he could to his best friend, mourning alongside him.

 

 Chanyeol stayed in the hospital for two whole weeks before he was allowed to go home. His new home, with his cousins. Even if Baekhyun had been allowed to go home the next day, he had still stayed for longer with Chanyeol, refusing to leave. And since more or less everyone knew how close the two boys were, they figured it would probably help Chanyeol to have Baekhyun close.

 Especially now, after everything that had happened.

 Yoora had to stay for an entire month due to her injuries, but Baekhyun and Chanyeol made sure to visit her every day as she recovered. They did not talk a lot, but they did not need to either. The company was enough.

 All necessities had already been picked up from the old house by the time Yoora was finally discharged, to make the transition a  _ bit _ easier, at least. It would still be hard, but it was  _ something. _

 Baekhyun and Hongbin, Heeyeon’s younger brother, kept Chanyeol company as Yoora was picked up from the hospital by Heeyeon and her parents. They did not really do anything, just absently watched a movie that Baekhyun was sure none of them would really remember afterwards. It was a pretty good way to keep their minds off of other things, though, and distractions was all Chanyeol was looking for right now.

 All of a sudden, the front door was opened, and all three of them looked towards it. Baekhyun was pretty sure they all tensed up in preparation for a fight, but as Yoora was helped inside by Heeyeon, they relaxed again.

 “What a welcome party,” Yoora said with a soft laugh, the exhaustion clear across her face and in her voice, but she seemed to try to keep her spirits up.

 “What do you mean, ‘welcome party’?” Chanyeol joked. “We’re just hanging out, didn’t know you were coming today.”

 Yoora stuck her tongue out towards Chanyeol as she and Heeyeon got closer, before she lifted a foot a tiny bit above the ground, as far as she could, to nudge Chanyeol’s leg.

 “Move over, I want to sit between you,” Yoora demanded, making Chanyeol scrunch his nose up.

 “Why would I give up my comfortable spot for you?” he asked - but he was already moving to let Yoora sit down between him and Baekhyun.

 As soon as she was seated, Baekhyun and Chanyeol snuggled up to her, Yoora taking a hand from them each to keep in her lap as she relaxed back against the sofa. Done with her duty as crutch, Heeyeon sat down next to Baekhyun and leaned against him, Hongbin most surely doing the same on Chanyeol’s side - creating a safe little bubble around Yoora.

 A safe little bubble that was needed, as Jihyun and Soohyun, Heeyeon and Hongbin’s parents, sat down on the floor in front of them, obviously having something on their mind.

 “We’ve already told the investigators this, but you deserve to know too,” Jihyun began, eyes sliding to Baekhyun. “It’s about your parents, what happened… Maybe Baekhyun shouldn’t…”

 “Baekhyun stays,” Yoora said, voice so weak yet so demanding as she held on to Baekhyun’s hand, and from the corner of his eye, Baekhyun could see Chanyeol nod in agreement.

 Jihyun’s lips lifted into a small smile, letting out a soft sigh. “You really are like a little pack… But I understand, Baekhyun stays if you want him to. And if Baekhyun wants to, too, of course.”

 Baekhyun was nodding before Jihyun even finished her sentence, because he was for sure not moving. If Chanyeol and Yoora wanted him there, then he  _ would _ be there.

 “So, get to it then,” Heeyeon spoke up, earning herself a disapproving stare from her mother that she most surely ignored.

 “We know why they were here,” Soohyun answered, making Baekhyun startle and look over at him in shock, feeling Yoora’s grip on his hand tighten.

 “W-what?” Yoora got out in a whisper, and Baekhyun instinctively began to rub little circles into her palm to try to help calm her down. “Why?”

 “They came because they wanted revenge, they wanted to take something from your parents, just like they believed something had been taken from them,” Jihyun said, voice wavering slightly, filled with pain.

 “What do you mean they wanted something? How do you know that?” Chanyeol asked, voice somewhat steely, and Baekhyun wanted to reach out to him to calm him down - but he could feel Yoora’s other hand squeeze around Chanyeol’s, right next to Baekhyun’s.

 “Yoora was what,  _ who _ , they wanted. The omega daughter of the family that had betrayed them…,” Jihyun whispered, gaze so sad.

 “The family that had betrayed them?” Heeyeon asked in confusion, mirroring them all.

 Shakily inhaling, Jihyun looked over towards Soohyun, who nodded, moving a strand of hair behind his wive’s ear, before looking towards them all.

 “Your parents belonged to… A sort of cult, I guess you could call it,” was what Soohyun began with, and you would have been able to hear a pin drop in the following silence. It was overwhelming, pressuring on Baekhyun’s lungs, but he tried to ignore it. “They lived after very strict rules, in a very strict hierarchy led by an alpha couple. The betas, like your mom, were seen as the ones supposed to take care of everyone else, a bit like servants, in  _ all _ kinds of ways. Your dad belonged to the omegas, who were there for one reason, and one reason only. To produce more children. They did not mingle a lot, only certain betas were allowed to assist the omegas with various things, but one day they ended up meeting, talked, and fell in love.”

 Soohyun paused for a moment, as if to let them  _ all _ breathe.

 “They knew what they were, but they also knew what they could never be - as long as they stayed. And they did not really know how to leave, either, so they stayed and just tried to survive,” Soohyun continued to explain, before looking straight at Chanyeol and Yoora. “And then your mom became pregnant, with the two of you. They could claim the children to be the alpha’s, and they would have, had it not been so obvious that you were  _ not. _ You’re very alike your dad, and they realized they wouldn’t be able to fool everyone for much longer. And if anyone tried to scent you two properly, it would have been clear as day. So they did what they had to do, and fled.”

 It sounded like a story, Baekhyun could not help but think, like something he had seen on the TV or whatever, not something real he was being told. The starcrossed lovers getting pregnant and fleeing from the evil cult, thinking they were safe, just to be tracked down and made to pay… It was almost ridiculous, that it actually was  _ their reality. _

 “Obviously, this wasn’t appreciated, but after spending so many years moving around, and then finding this place, we thought…,” Soohyun said, trailing off as he dragged a hand through his hair, before starting over. “We thought it would be okay. That they would be able to live in peace, that  _ you _ would be able to live in peace. And obviously, we were wrong.”

 After that, a few questions were asked, but mostly silence reigned as everyone tried to absorb this whole new piece of the puzzle. The first and extremely large piece of the puzzle that was Chanyeol and Yoora’s lives. It was incredibly hard to fit it together with the other pieces, but it also somewhat made sense. The many moves being made during the twins’ first years, why they had moved to the small town they were now in, the way that Chanyeol and Yoora’s parents had always been a bit overprotective…

 It made sense.

 Baekhyun of course continued to spend a lot of his time in Heeyeon and Hongbin’s house, trying to help the twins as much as possible together with their cousins. It was not easy, and things dipped deeper down into despair when it a few months later became clear that their mother would most probably never wake up again. According to what the doctors could see, she was too far gone for there to be any probable chance for her to return, and even though both Chanyeol and Yoora wanted to cling to hope, they decided it would be more merciful to turn life support off, and let their mother join their father in the afterlife, instead of keeping her chained to Earth.

 That night, Baekhyun made a promise to for the rest of his life do anything within his power, and more, to make sure that Chanyeol would be happy and safe. No matter what, he intended to keep it,  _ burned _ with the need to make sure he kept it.

 And that should have been the first real clue to what would soon follow, even if some already had a few suspicions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The funny thing about Chanyeol being bullied for being an omega male abomination is that... Omegas are the only ones that are always pure-blooded. I could give you a whole lecture on this, but keeping it simple - it kind of works like a combination of blood type and gender deciding what you are, or rather which genes are activated and which are not, and which genes are "malfunctioning". Chanyeol is XY-OO and Baekhyun XY-Ao. XY stands for male, as you all should know (if you haven't gotten that far in school yet, I don't think you should read this...?), while OO/Ao stands for their 'class' or whatever. There are two types of alpha - AA and Ao, Ao meaning that you're an omega gene carrier. Betas can be aB/BB/Bo, since B is always the determining gene. You have B, you're a beta, simple as that. So they have three combinations (3 x 2), alpha two combination (2 x 2), and omega only one (1 x 2), and will therefore /always/ be pure omega.  
> Is this confusing? Feels like it might be xD I'll probably do a chapter further down the road to link to the work I used as a base and worked out from for my Omegaverse, and explain things a bit more, plus show what everyone is... Still to early to tell you now, too many spoilers, but yes indeed alpha females have two sets of reproductive organs, just like male omegas! And it all has to do with A and O and the way the turn off or not certain things!


End file.
